If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

1)-Besides Hughes, which rookie are you expecting to make the biggest impact?

I think the one with the best chance to make an impact straightaway is Jacques McClendon. OG is wide open, so he could start Day 1. Considering the other candidates:

Pat Angerer: Will not win the SLB spot as he's clearly a coverage LB (probably Brackett's projected replacement), so he's not likely to start this year
Kevin Thomas: Out for Season
Brody Eldridge: Unless he bulks up and starts playing LT, he's not going to play other than short yardage situations at FB.
Ricardo Mathews: Should see some PT, but not likely to contribute as much as a starting OG.
Kavell Conner: Probably a special teamer or practice squad player this year.
Ray Fisher: At best a KR/PR, doubt he can win the dimeback spot even with Thomas down for the year.

2)-What type of impact will Anthony Gonzalez make this season...if ever as a Colt?

If he stays healthy, he might have a breakout year. He showed flashes in his 2nd season, and was going to get his opportunity to breakout last year...before his season ended in Week 1. I doubt he's lost any route running ability or agility, and those were by far the two things that made him most successful in the past.

3)-Pick one guy who you think could come out of nowhere (or relative obscurity) and be a decent backup/starter/etc.

I really like the potential of Andrew Tyshovnytsky, and with the way the OL will likely be completely open in training camp, he might find a starting spot. With enough coaching, he might eventually even make a solid LT.

The problem arises when people use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support instead of illumination.

If luck is where preparation meets opportunity, then clutch is where failure meets luck.

<Add1ct> setting myself on fire can't be that hard
<Add1ct> but tackling a mosquito might prove a challenge

Comment

Brody Eldridge: Unless he bulks up and starts playing LT, he's not going to play other than short yardage situations at FB.

The last time the Colts had any semblance of a running game they played a majority of the time out of the two TE set. Eldridge will be the impact player I think this year. He will replace Gijon Robinson at TE, will take snaps at TE, H-Back and short yardage situation at FB. Don't rule out Eldridge playing well over half the snaps next season.

Originally posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.

In Baseball the object is to go home and be safe.

Comment

The last time the Colts had any semblance of a running game they played a majority of the time out of the two TE set. Eldridge will be the impact player I think this year. He will replace Gijon Robinson at TE, will take snaps at TE, H-Back and short yardage situation at FB. Don't rule out Eldridge playing well over half the snaps next season.

I easily rule this scenario out for this reason: Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Anthony Gonzalez, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, Joseph Addai, Donald Brown. Two of those players already have to be off the field on every down, so which three of those players are you going to take off the field for 50+% of the snaps to give that PT to Eldridge?

The problem arises when people use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support instead of illumination.

If luck is where preparation meets opportunity, then clutch is where failure meets luck.

<Add1ct> setting myself on fire can't be that hard
<Add1ct> but tackling a mosquito might prove a challenge

Comment

I easily rule this scenario out for this reason: Reggie Wayne, Dallas Clark, Anthony Gonzalez, Pierre Garcon, Austin Collie, Joseph Addai, Donald Brown. Two of those players already have to be off the field on every down, so which three of those players are you going to take off the field for 50+% of the snaps to give that PT to Eldridge?

Well Addai and Brown were never on the same field last year so I don't imagine that will change this year. Last year Gijon Robinson took 30% of the snaps for the Colts. Tom Santi took another 5%. Theres 35% just to start with. Cody Glenn or Eric Foster took 5% of the snaps as well. Theres 40%. Are you telling me they couldn't trim back on the 3 WR set by 10% to push Eldridge over the 50% mark?

Originally posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.

In Baseball the object is to go home and be safe.

Comment

Well Addai and Brown were never on the same field last year so I don't imagine that will change this year. Last year Gijon Robinson took 30% of the snaps for the Colts. Tom Santi took another 5%. Theres 35% just to start with. Cody Glenn or Eric Foster took 5% of the snaps as well. Theres 40%. Are you telling me they couldn't trim back on the 3 WR set by 10% to push Eldridge over the 50% mark?

If they were trying to get Eldridge that much playing time, no, but you're assuming quite a bit here. For one thing, you're assuming that he's already 2nd string on the TE depth chart, and that he will not only eat all the snaps that two TEs took last year, but also all the snaps of Anthony Gonzalez (since he played all of one quarter last year). More importantly, you're assuming they're going to make an effort to get a 5th round rookie on the field over more proven and talented veterans.

The problem arises when people use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support instead of illumination.

If luck is where preparation meets opportunity, then clutch is where failure meets luck.

<Add1ct> setting myself on fire can't be that hard
<Add1ct> but tackling a mosquito might prove a challenge

Comment

The signing of Townsend solidyifies one of the minor weaknesses on the team, the depth at the Cornerback position. Going into this season the Dimeback was going to be either Melvin Bullitt (coming out of the Big Nickle) or Ray Fisher or Terrail Lambert. By adding Townsend it gives the Colts a 4th Cornerback with actual playing experience, a great defensive back playmaker (something the Colts have lacked in Bob Sanders abscence) and allows the likes of Fisher to spend more time focusing on the Return Game and Special Teams.

Originally posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.

In Baseball the object is to go home and be safe.

Comment

Townsend as a CB4 is a great signing IMO. Let's hope he never sees the field in meaningful game minutes, but if he does I feel better about that than I would have one of the rookies (Thomas included, what a waste).

When Townsend was with the Steelers, didn't they tend to play more man coverage and not so much zone?

Comment

Apparently the 4 Offensive Line Starters from last season took first team snaps today, with Jamey Richard starting at Left Guard.

Originally posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.

Comment

When Townsend was with the Steelers, didn't they tend to play more man coverage and not so much zone?

Yeah, the Steelers played a lot of Cover 2 Man, with the Safeties droping into a Cover 2 and the underneath guys maning up. The Colts played some of that last year though, with Larry Coyer moving away from the traditional Tampa 2.

Originally posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.

In Baseball the object is to go home and be safe.

Comment

Yeah, the Steelers played a lot of Cover 2 Man, with the Safeties droping into a Cover 2 and the underneath guys maning up. The Colts played some of that last year though, with Larry Coyer moving away from the traditional Tampa 2.

Yeah that's why I was asking. Despite evidence to the contrary Polian insisted the CBs would continue to play zone. So this signing seems to be further evidence that the Colts want their corners to play man more under Coyer.

Comment

Yeah that's why I was asking. Despite evidence to the contrary Polian insisted the CBs would continue to play zone. So this signing seems to be further evidence that the Colts want their corners to play man more under Coyer.

The Colts primarily manned up last year when they blitzed, which was less than 5% of the plays. This year I expect the Colts to still play the Cover 2 with underneath zones about 90% of the time. They will man up sometimes but not very often.

Originally posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.

In Baseball the object is to go home and be safe.

Comment

The Colts primarily manned up last year when they blitzed, which was less than 5% of the plays. This year I expect the Colts to still play the Cover 2 with underneath zones about 90% of the time. They will man up sometimes but not very often.

The Colts actually blitzed 23.9% of the time last year. Proof. That article sucks as a whole (run defense was far from the Colts problem in 2009), but it does have some nice raw data in it.

The problem arises when people use statistics like a drunk uses a lamp post: for support instead of illumination.

If luck is where preparation meets opportunity, then clutch is where failure meets luck.

<Add1ct> setting myself on fire can't be that hard
<Add1ct> but tackling a mosquito might prove a challenge

Comment

The Colts actually blitzed 23.9% of the time last year. Proof. That article sucks as a whole (run defense was far from the Colts problem in 2009), but it does have some nice raw data in it.

It sure as hell didn't seem that often.

Originally posted by George Carlin

In Football the object is for the Field General to be on target with his aerial assault, riddling the Defence by hitting his Receivers with deadly accuracy, in spite of the Blitz, even if he has to use the Shotgun. With short bullet passes and long bombs he marches his troops into enemy territory, balancing this aerial assault with a sustained ground attack which punches holes in the forward wall of the enemy’s Defensive Line.